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In a recent blog post I mentioned that I recently invested in quite a bit of gear to start doing more real estate videos. I really want to increase the production value and make the videos cinematic. Here is some of the equipment I’ll be using:

A few years ago when I was trying to establish myself as a photographer I was looking for good business cards. There were some “free” options. I put free in quotes because, if I recall correctly, the company’s logo would be on the card somewhere. Then I discovered MOO cards. Funny name. Great cards.

What I loved about MOO is that you can choose their pre-designed cards or upload your own images to get customized cards. So theoretically, in a pack of 50 cards, you can have 50 different images. Well, I wanted to keep it a secret because I didn’t want other photographers to have the cool cards I had! Of course, that’s ridiculous and the cat is apparently out of the bag. Readers of Lifehacker.com named MOO the Most Popular Business Card Printing Site.

I just ran across some of their pre-designed cards for photographers and thought they were pretty cool. The design at the top of this post features four vintage cameras fused into one image. Of course the designs are customizable so you can substitute your own images into the grid.

This next one features seven vintage cameras including an old Brownie.

Finally a quirky twist on the vintage camera design with these illustrated versions of 10 cameras including a Polaroid, Holga, Hasselblad and Rolleiflex.

So as the title implies, this is a follow-up to the “Why My Next Camera Will Be Mirrorless” post written in July of 2012. Back then, I hadn’t purchased the Canon 5D MKIII yet and Canon had not yet released its own mirrorless camera; and I had my eye on the Sony NEX-7 with its 24 megapixel, APS-C sensor. With interchangeable lenses, I was considering the Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 lens. Then everything changed when Sony announced the RX1.

First, let me say, that I as I indicated in the post, I did indeed get the 5D MKIII. I need it for my profession; shooting interiors. But I never got excited about it. It’s a tool that I need for work. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great camera and I wouldn’t part with it…but it’s a tool none the less. The RX1 is the first camera in a long time that I can remember actually being excited about.

You may have heard by now that the RX1 is the world’s first full frame compact camera. That’s right, it packs a 24MP full frame sensor in a small body with a fixed 35mm f/2 lens. Just how small is it? Do a Google image search of “RX1” and you’ll see some images of it in people’s hands.

Why am I so excited about this camera? As I mentioned in Part 1 of this post, I want a camera I can travel with that has the quality of a DSLR but not the size and weight. I have some trips planned this year, including a 2-week visit to Italy in the Spring. I really don’t want to lug around my MKIII and worry about it getting damaged, lost or stolen. Yes, I have insurance, but if something happens to it, I can’t go right back to work when I return from the trip. It’s my bread and butter. The iPhone and compacts just don’t have large enough sensors to produce quality results. That’s why I was looking at the NEX-7.

I do have a few concerns; not the least of which is the $2800 price tag. I could save money and get an NEX (I’ve read the NEX-6 is slightly better than the 7). OR, I could just buy a lens; perhaps a 24-105 or 35mm for my Canon. But I don’t think I would get the same results from the NEX and the second option still has me travelling with a big DSLR.

There is no viewfinder; you compose images from the LCD screen. You can buy an optical or electronic viewfinder, but those are really expensive. Even the lens hood is an optional and expensive accessory.

I also worry about the fixed 35mm lens. Will I be restricted? It’s a classic travel photography focal length; just not one I am used to.

Having said all that, I am not saying YOU need to go out and buy an RX1. But it occurred to me that if someone asked me what camera they should buy, I would tell them to get a mirrorless camera. The average person thinks they need a DSLR, but that’s just not true anymore. I would point them to the popular Olympus OMD-5 ranked by readers of Digital Photography Review as the 2012 Camera of the Year; ahead of the MKIII and D800! I would tell them about the new line of Fuji X-series cameras. I would still recommend Sony’s NEX line. Yes, Nikon has a line but it’s been met with lukewarm reception; and Canon’s foray into the mirrorless party with the EOS-M is likewise less than inspiring. Speaking of mirrorless party, check out this video which kind of sums it up:

There will always be a need for DSLRs among professionals. But the parent who wants to take pictures of their kids or a tourist on vacation doesn’t really need one. I think mirrorless cameras fill the space between the cell phone Instagramer and the pro shooter. Someone who just wants a good camera without the size, weight and price (the RX1 excluded on that count) of a DSLR.

Like this:

If you’re a photographer and you shoot outdoors then you know how important it is to shoot when the light is just right. For me, I have to time the angle of the sun to shoot the front of houses and pools. So you’ll understand if I’m a little obsessed with tracking the sun.

I have a couple of complaints about the app. First, it works differently on the iPhone than on the iPad. On the iPad, if you want to search for a location, just hit the “location” button and type in the address. On the iPhone, however, when you type in an address, you first have to save the location before you can see the angle of the sun. My second qualm about the iPhone version is that I often get that “Compass Interference” message. I know that’s an issue with the phone and not the app, but it’s annoying nonetheless. To be fair, I get the interference when using the Sun Seeker app as well.

The next two issues I have are with the maps in the iPad version. I shoot houses, so I need to pinpoint a location. Sometimes, when I enter an address, the marker is on a street or a nearby house. So I usually use Google maps to pinpoint the house and then compare it to the map on LightTrac to make sure I have the right location.

Secondly, when you zoom in all the way, the streets do not follow the map. Let me explain: Imagine the base map as a layer in Photoshop. The streets are “drawn” onto a layer on top of the map. When you zoom in all the way, the street lines do not line up with the street on the map. You can see in the iPad screen grab above how Archfeld Blvd. does not line up with the road on the map. All in all, my complaints are not enough to render the app unusable and I still rely on it for almost every shoot I do.

Alright… on to the new apps! The first is called “Magic Hour“. This app simply lets you plan to shoot during that magic hour a half hour before and after sunset when the sky displays those beautiful colors. Photographers usually call this the “golden hour”.

As you can see, you enter your location and the app tells you when magic hour begins and ends and even displays a countdown timer. Simple, but useful.

The next app is called “Sol” and I really love the graphical presentation.

Your location at present time is placed on top of a sphere. You use your finger to rotate the times of day around your location. So, for example, in the screen grab above, if I were to rotate “Golden Hour” above my location, the clock would tell me what time it would be. You can then transition to the phases of twilight until you get to nighttime and eventually back to the phases of twilight in the morning.

I think this is an excellent way to visualize the phases of twilight, understand there are two times of the day that mirror each other in terms of light and see how long each one lasts. If you want to learn more about shooting in twilight check out my “Twilight Photography” post.

There you have it; four apps to track the sun and figure out the best time of day to shoot. I linked to the apps in the iTunes store, but I believe most of them work on Android devices as well.

I’ll admit I was a little late to the mirrorless party. I’d heard about Micro 4/3rds, EVIL, MILC, etc. and I was just too busy or too arrogant to pay attention. I figured anything with a small sensor wasn’t worth my time. In truth, my next camera will be the Canon 5D MKIII; I still need the full frame capabilities for my profession.

My interest in mirrorless cameras came from a desire for a system I can use for my personal use. I hate lugging around a big DSLR when traveling and a point-and-shoot or iPhone just doesn’t get me the quality I need. Enter mirrorless cameras: small form factor with a sensor larger than point-and shoots; in some cases just as large as a DSLR.

In case you’re new to this too, let me go over a few things. First, terminology:

“EVIL” stands for “Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens”. Most mirrorless cameras do not have an optical viewfinder, but an electronic one instead.

MILC stand for “Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera”.

In case you don’t know how a DSLR works, check out the diagram below:

Image from Vimeo Video School

When you look through the viewfinder, you can see through the lens because light bounces off a mirror which gets reflected off a prism and then through the viewfinder. When you click the shutter, the mirror flips up and light hits the sensor directly. This is why your viewfinder goes black when you press the shutter.

The prism inside a DSLR is also what makes it so bulky. The mirror is, of course, a moving part which fails after time. That’s why cameras are rated at certain “shutter actuations” or the number of shots you can take. Most are in the 50,000 to 150,000 range. Some high-end DSLRs are rated at 200,000 actuations.

So naturally, a mirrorless camera does not have a mirror or a prism which allows for a more compact body. It also means super fast frames per second, because there is no mirror that needs to flip up and reset before the next shot.

As I mentioned before, I am looking for something I can travel with that’s small enough to pack but that has DSLR-like quality. The guy who created the Instapaper App recently blogged about transitioning from DSLRs to an iPhone. When he wanted high-resolution images for his retina display he found the iPhone images just were not good enough. My first reaction was “did you really think the tiny sensor in an iPhone would give you quality good enough for a retina display?” My thoughts were echoed in this Cult of Mac article. But I also felt empathy.

On a recent trip to St. Thomas I decided not to bring my DSLR. I took pictures with my iPhone primarily so I could quickly share photos on Facebook. I also used a Canon Powershot 310HS when I wanted a little better quality. Below is an image from my iPhone 4S:

iPhone 4S: f/2.4, 1/15, ISO 800.

I find the noise from the iPhone to be unacceptable, even in broad daylight at ISO 64.

iPhone 4S: f/2.4, 1/3000, ISO 64

Look at all the noise in the sky. It’s only slightly better on the Powershot (granted it was at ISO 1600).

Powershot 310HS: f/3.2, 1/8, ISO 1600

It all has to do with the size of the sensor. A bigger sensor, among other things, will allow for less noise (up to a point). The Sony NEX-7 (pictured at the top of this post) has a 24-megapixel APS-C sized sensor; the same size found on most consumer Canon and Nikon DSLRs.

I really believe we are at a point where the market is going in three directions: One is DSLRs, the other is small cameras with larger sensors. Everything else is taken by camera phones because they are so accessible. But anyone who wants quality photos will fall in one or both of the other camps. Check out this blog post about a CNBC reporter forecasting the death of point-and-shoots.

The New York Times recently reviewed the new Sony RX100 and David Pouge raved about the 1-inch sensor on a tiny body. Some of the comments and even a blog attacked him for his praise; but they miss the point. What Pouge is saying is that a sensor that big on a camera small enough to fit in your pocket is going to rival other point-and-shoots with smaller sensors.

Now, mind you, you can’t fit most mirrorless cameras in your pocket due to the size of the lenses. But that’s something I like: big sensor, big lens, small body. Small and light enough for me to pack on a trip.

I credit well-known photographer Trey Ratcliff for enlightening me to the possibilities of mirrorless cameras. He makes a very good case in his “DLSRs Are a Dying Breed” blog post. Definitely worth a read.

You have a lot of choices when it comes to mirrorless cameras; from Olympus to Sony and even Nikon. Fuji made a big splash with its X100 and X10. Now, Canon is rumored to introduce a mirrorless later this month. Some have interchangeable lenses and others do not. The sensor sizes also vary, so you’ll have to do some research.

So if you’re looking for a camera that’s small enough to carry around but will still deliver DSLR-like quality, I suggest you take a look at mirrorless cameras. It’s what I’ll be carrying on my next trip.

Let the price drop begin. When Canon announced the 5D MKIII two days ago, I was expecting the price of the MKII to drop in the coming weeks (the MKIII is expected to begin shipping in late March). I had no idea how soon the price would drop.

I tracked price fluctuations last year; from a hike to about $2,700 after the Japan earthquake to a low of about $2,100 for the Christmas shopping season. It stabilized to the usual $2,500 after the holidays.

Now it’s down to $2,200 on Amazon. [UPDATE 3/5/12: Another $50 drop. It’s down to $2,149.] How low will it go? We’ll see in the next few weeks. So if you’ve been eyeing a full frame camera, you might save some money by opting for the MKII over the newer MKIII.

Is the MKIII worth the extra $1,300? I did a comparison using SnapSort and found mostly minor differences.

A screen that is .2-inches larger with better resolution. The image on the screen does not reflect what you’ll see on your computer or print.

6 frames per second vs. 3.9. If you don’t shoot action, then this won’t matter to you.

22.1 megapixels vs. 21. ‘Nuff said.

The differences that might sway me are:

ISO 25,600 vs. 6,400

100% viewfinder coverage vs. 98%. As an interior photographer, this is actually a big deal for me

Other features that might interest you:

More focus points and more cross type focus points

In camera HDR

Silent mode for video recording

The question is: is that worth the extra money? Hit me up in the comments with your thoughts. If the MKII drops to $2,000 would you get it instead of the MKIII or is the MKIII clearly superior?

Like this:

There is no shortage of apps for photographers. While most of them focus on actually taking pictures, editing or adding effects with your phone I want to point out a few that are more utilitarian.

In a previous blog post, I told you about the LightTrac app. I’ve since discovered a similar app that allows you to track the direction and angle of the sun. It’s called Sun Seeker (the lite version is free). It works similar to the compass on the Iphone. Just hold it up in the direction you want to shoot and you’ll see where the sun is going to be. Now, I don’t like it as much as LightTrac, because just like the compass tool, it’s prone to interference and you’re prompted to wave your phone in a figure eight pattern. Granted, this has happened before with LightTrac, but it’s more often with Sun Seeker and I also don’t trust the compass 100%; I’ve found the direction can change depending on how I’m holding the phone. The one cool thing about the full version ($4.99) of Sun Seeker is the “augmented reality” feature. Using your phone’s camera, you get a display of the sun’s path.

Contract Maker Elite is a little pricey at $19.99; but if you’re an on-the-go photographer, you can create and edit contracts right from your phone or tablet. You can then have a client sign it on your device and email it to them as a .pdf, JPEG or both. The app comes with starter templates, including a sales receipt.

Easy Release is another time and paper saving app for the on-the-go photographer. If you need a model or property release, this $9.99 app lets you collect all the information you need on your device. You can even take a snapshot of your client and add embed it into the release. Like Contract Maker, you can also email a .pdf or JPEG of the release.